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  • Zulfikar Shariff: Muslim Leaders Are Weak

    Zulfikar Shariff: Muslim Leaders Are Weak

    Rasulullah (s.a.w) and his companions had a strong sense of dignity. They did not abuse and did not allow themselves to be abused. They negotiated peace without subjugating themselves.

    When Rasulullah made sujud at the Kaabah and the Quraish placed camel entrails on his shoulder, he did not get up until his beloved daughter Fatimah removed it from him. When he stood up, he made doa against the Quraish. He is the Messenger of the Lord of all the worlds. He had a strong sense of dignity.

    Today, Muslim leaders lack dignity. They accept being discriminated. They accept their community being abused. They subjugate themselves to those in power. They are thrown rubbish and they eat it up. They are supposed to be part of the Khairah Ummah. But act like the weakest of dayuth.

    How far has this ummah fallen.

    How low are the leaders.

     

    Source: Zulfikar Shariff

  • Walid J. Abdullah: Support the BDS Movement Or Not, Do Not Belittle Others

    Walid J. Abdullah: Support the BDS Movement Or Not, Do Not Belittle Others

    It is not uncommon to hear people mocking those who support the BDS movement, or who refuse to shop at ultra-capitalist establishments which engage in dodgy practices (like Primark). Often, those people engage in a series of silly arguments to justify their making fun of others. Three arguments in particular, are put forth:

    1) ‘You are just one person. Boycotting these companies would not change the situation.’

    2) ‘You can’t boycott every single unethical establishment.’

    3) ‘It’s better to work on other things that you can change.’

    To be honest, these points are quite ludicrous to even be addressed. But because they are put forth by people who are even supposed to be religious teachers, perhaps it would be worthwhile to explore them.

    1) ‘You can’t change anything by boycotting’.

    Yes, even if i boycott them, most probably, i would not be changing anything. But i don’t boycott them, i would DEFINITELY not be changing anything.

    Moreover, i have very modest ambitions: i do not harbour illusions of changing the world. All i can concern myself with is absolving myself of association with that establishment. And if that is all i can do, then that is what i should do.

    2) ‘You can’t boycott everyone.’

    Of course. But does that mean i should not boycott anyone? Seriously, what are these people smoking man.

    3) ‘It’s better to work on other things that you can change.’

    Erm, go ahead, but how does boycotting impede your ability to work on other ‘important things’? And there will always be ‘more important things’; unfortunately, too often that is just rhetoric to excuse one’s self from doing anything.

    —–

    If you choose not to support the BDS movement and the like, fine. But don’t belittle others who try to do something. If you have good arguments against it, bring them forward. Don’t articulate silly red herrings.

    It is even worse when the very same people who teach us ‘no deed is too small in the sight of God’, ‘we must encourage even the smallest good act’, etc, immediately abandon these pieces of advice when they themselves are not in agreement with specific acts. For these people, it’s my way or the highway.

    May we not be from amongst those arrogant people who think we have a monopoly on goodness.

     

    Source: Walid J. Abdullah

  • Madrasah Students Are More Than Just Future Religious Teachers

    Madrasah Students Are More Than Just Future Religious Teachers

    It’s funny when you hear people saying that madrasah students will eventually become religious teachers or even become jobless. The reality is somewhat different. Most madrasah graduates today are professionals in so many different fields. Many are graduates of top universities locally and globally, specializing in fields within the sciences and humanities. Their parents are in high positions in diverse sectors of the Singaporean economy (just for the record: my two daughters are in two different madrasahs).

    So the next time you encounter a madrasah student, do ask the kid in tudung or songkok what he/she wants to be someday. You will be surprised that their dreams are no different from any ordinary student in secular schools. Let’s keep our minds open and our biases closed.

     

    Source: Khairudin Aljunied

  • Zufikar Shariff: The Difference Between Palestinians and Singapore Malays

    Zufikar Shariff: The Difference Between Palestinians and Singapore Malays

    A lot of Malays in Singapura feel sympathy for Palestinians.They worry about their brothers and sisters in Palestine. And denounce the aggression of the Israeli state. What a lot of them do not realise is that 17% of Israeli citizens are Muslims. And some of them are Zionists. There are some in the IDF. Some in politics.

    Palestinians are massacred and abused because they resist.

    If they did not resist, if they submit, if they accept Israeli domination without question… If they cry for Ariel Sharon and call him their father.. Or refer to Golda Meir as their mother… If they declare their love for the Likud Party.. they would not be treated this way.

    Some Muslim Israelis talk about the educational, economic, political opportunities available to them in Israel. They would still be discriminated and abused. But not the same way they are now. Yes, if Palestinians behave like Malays in Singapura, they would be treated like us.

    The main difference between Palestinians and Malays in Singapura is that…they continue to resist.

    While we surrender.

     

    Source: Zulfikar Shariff

  • Para AP Melayu Lahir Rasa Kecewa Atas Insiden 3 Pelajar Madrasah Dipukul, Ditendang

    Para AP Melayu Lahir Rasa Kecewa Atas Insiden 3 Pelajar Madrasah Dipukul, Ditendang

    Menteri Bertanggungjawab bagi Ehwal Masyarakat Islam Dr Yaacob Ibrahim melahirkan rasa kecewa terhadap insiden serangan terhadap tiga pelajar madrasah semalam (1 Apr).

    Dr Yaacob menegaskan, perkara itu tidak boleh diterima sama sekali dan pelakunya mesti dibawa ke muka pengadilan.

    Beliau menambah, Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) sedang bekerja rapat dengan Madrasah Al-Ma’arif Al-Islamiah untuk memberi bantuan dalam siasatan polis dan juga membantu para pelajar yang terjejas.

    Ketiga-tiga pelajar Madrasah Al-Ma’arif Al-Islamiah itu diserang oleh seorang lelaki di Stesen MRT Paya Lebar sekitar pukul 7.20 pagi semalam dan menurut sumber-sumber, suspek sudahpun diberkas.

    DOAKAN AGAR PELAJAR TERJEJAS PULIH

    Menulis di laman Facebooknya hari ini (2 Apr), Dr Yaacob berkata: “Kita tidak harus menerima apa jua bentuk tindakan agresif terhadap sesiapa pun, lebih-lebih lagi orang-orang yang tidak bersalah.”

    Beliau yang juga Menteri Peruhubungan dan Penerangan bagaimanapun turut mengajak masyarakat supaya bertenang dan bersatu, serta jangan membiarkan insiden tersebut memecahbelahkan mereka.

    Dr Yaacob menggesa masyarakat supaya berdoa agar para pelajar madrasah yang terjejas, pulih daripada insiden tersebut.

    AP AMRIN AMIN: INSIDEN INI “PERKARA YANG SERIUS”

    Awal daripada itu, Setiausaha Parlimen, Kementerian Ehwal Dalam Negeri Amrin Amin juga melahirkan keprihatinannya berhubung insiden tersebut dan menyifatkannya sebagai satu “perkara yang serius”.

    Beliau juga bimbang tentang keadaan para pelajar madrasah yang menjadi mangsa “pengalaman mengerikan” itu.

    Encik Amrin merupakan AP Melayu pertama menyuarakan pandangannya mengenai insiden tersebut menerusi laman Facebook beliau, sekitar tengah malam semalam.

    Beliau juga mengajak orang ramai supaya jangan tergesa-gesa membuat kesimpulan, memandangkan siasatan sedang dijalankan.

    Bercakap kepada BERITAMediacorp hari ini, AP GRC Bishan-Toa Payoh Saktiandi Supaat berharap ini suatu insiden yang terpencil.

    “Masyarakat Singapura adalah satu masyarakat berbilang budaya. Kita sama-sama boleh memupuk silaturahim di antara masyarakat di Singapura. Jadi saya rasa situasi ini bukan satu situasi yang secara merata. Ia adalah satu situasi terpencil,” ujar beliau semasa diminta ulasannya mengenai kejadian tersebut.

    MUIS KELUARKAN KENYATAAN, LAHIR PRIHATIN

    Dalam pada itu, MUIS turut mengeluarkan kenyataan media bagi mengulas kejadian tersebut.

    Menurut MUIS, ia prihatinan tentang insiden serangan terhadap tiga pelajar madrasah semalam.

    MUIS yakin polis sedang giat menjalankan siasatan dan masyarakat dinasihati agar bertenang bagi membolehkan keadilan dilaksanakan.

    INSIDEN DAPAT PERHATIAN MENTERI MHA

    Berita mengenai kejadian yang menimpa tiga pelajar Madrasah Al Maarif itu turut mendapat perhatian Menteri Ehwal Dalam Negeri, K Shanmugam.

    Dalam tulisannya di Facebook lewat malam semalam, Encik Shanmugam yang juga merupakan Menteri Undang-Undang menyatakan beliau sudah meminta pihak polis supaya menyiasat insiden itu.

    “Buat masa ini, motif di sebalik serangan ini masih belum jelas,” kata Encik Shanmugam.

    Namun beliau memberi jaminan bahawa “kami akan menyiasat perkara ini dan memastikan keadilan ditegakkan.”

    Madrasah Al-Ma’arif Al-Islamiah semalam mengeluarkan kenyataan di laman Facebooknya berhubung insiden di mana tiga pelajarnya ditendang dan dipukul oleh seorang lelaki.

    Ia menyatakan bahawa ketiga-tiga pelajar yang terjejas sudahpun diberikan kaunseling dan mengesahkan kejadian itu kini sedang disiasat.

    Madrasah Al-Ma’arif Al-Islamiah turut mengucapkan terima kasih kepada semua yang menghubungi pihak madrasah kerana prihatin dengan kesejahteraan para pelajarnya.

     

    Source: Berita Mediacorp